Beginning Game Programming with C#

About this course: The Beginning Game Programming with C# course is all about learning how to develop video games using the C# programming language. Why use C# instead of C++, Java, ActionScript, or some other programming language you may have heard of? First, using C# lets us use the open-source MonoGame framework, which help us quickly develop games for Windows, Android, iOS, Mac OS X, and others. Second, the Unity game engine is very popular with indie game developers, and C# is one of the programming languages you can use in the Unity environment. And finally, C# is a really good language for learning how to program. That learning how to program comment is important because this course doesn't assume you have any previous programming experience. Don't worry if you've never written code before; we'll start at the very beginning and work our way up to building a small, complete game by the end of the course. Throughout the course you'll learn core programming concepts that apply to lots of programming languages, including C#, and you'll also learn how to apply those concepts when you develop games: drawing all the entities in the game world, updating the game world based on user input and simple physics, playing music and sound effects in your games, and so on. Computer programming is really fun in general, and programming games is even better! Caution: Beginning (assuming no prior programming knowledge) is not the same as easy (not hard to do). Learning to program IS hard to do, especially since this course is essentially a freshman-level college course. Meeting the course challenges while you master the material will be rewarding to you, but doing that will require hard work and maybe even a few expletives along the way.

Created by:  University of Colorado System

• Taught by:  Dr. Tim "Dr. T" Chamillard, Associate Professor

  Computer Science

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Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

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Syllabus


WEEK 1


Course Introduction, First C# Program, and Storing Data
Learn about the course structure, the course programming environment, and Dr. T; Learn how to write a C# program; Learn how we use data types, variables, and constants to store data in our programs; Complete and submit Programming Assignment 1


11 videos, 9 readings expand

1. Reading: It's Time to Build Games!
2. Video: 1.1 Course Introduction
3. Video: 1.2 Navigating the Course
4. Video: 1.3 Visual Studio and XNA
5. Video: 1.4 Meet the Instructor (Optional)
6. Video: 2.1 Your First C# Program
7. Video: 2.2 Commenting and You
8. Video: 3.1 Bits and Bytes
9. Video: 3.2 Data Types, Variables, and Constants
10. Video: 3.3 Integer Data Types
11. Video: 3.4 Real Number Data Types
12. Video: 3.5 Other Value Types
13. Reading: Week 1 Resources
14. Reading: Labs 1, 2, and 3
15. Reading: Setting Up Your Development Environment
16. Reading: Flow and Course Structure
17. Reading: Advice for Beginners and Nonbeginners
18. Reading: Course Coding Standards
19. Reading: Course Topic Index
20. Reading: Programming Assignment 1 FAQ

Graded: Programming Assignment 1

WEEK 2


Classes and Objects, MonoGame/XNA Basics
Learn some foundational Object-Oriented concepts; Learn the basics of MonoGame/XNA; Complete and submit Programming Assignment 2; Complete and submit Peer Review of Programming Assignment 1


9 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Reading: Welcome to Week 2
2. Video: 4.1 Intro to Classes and Objects
3. Video: 4.2 Using a Class: Constructor and Properties
4. Video: 4.3 Using a Class: Methods
5. Video: 4.4 Designing a Class
6. Video: 5.1 MonoGame vs XNA
7. Video: 5.2 Intro to XNA
8. Video: 5.3 Your First XNA Game: Resolution and Loading Content
9. Video: 5.4 Your First XNA Game: Drawing
10. Video: 5.5 XNA Practice
11. Reading: Week 2 Resources
12. Reading: Labs 4, 5, and 6
13. Reading: Programming Assignment 2 FAQ

Graded: Programming Assignment 2

WEEK 3


Strings and Selection
Learn about using C# strings; Learn how we make decisions in our code; Complete and submit Programming Assignment 3; Complete and submit Peer Review of Programming Assignment 2


5 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Reading: It's Week 3 Already
2. Video: 6.1 Intro to Strings
3. Video: 6.2 String Operations
4. Video: 7.1 Selection: If Statements
5. Video: 7.2 Selection: Switch Statements
6. Video: 7.3 Selection in Games
7. Reading: Week 3 Resources
8. Reading: Labs 7, 8, 9, and 10
9. Reading: Programming Assignment 3 FAQ

Graded: Programming Assignment 3

WEEK 4


Recovery week
Reflect on previous course material with no new material this week; Complete and submit Project Increment 1; Complete and submit Peer Review of Programming Assignment 3


4 readings expand

1. Reading: The First Recovery Week
2. Reading: Project Summary
3. Reading: Project Increment 1 Solution
4. Reading: Project Increment 1 FAQ

Graded: Project Increment 1

WEEK 5


MonoGame/XNA Mice and Controllers, Arrays and Collection Classes
Learn how to use mice and controllers for input; Learn how to store larger amounts of data; Complete and submit Programming Assignment 4; Complete and submit Peer Review of Project Increment 1


6 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Reading: An Exciting Week 5
2. Video: 8.1 XNA Mouse Location Processing
3. Video: 8.2 XNA Mouse Button Processing
4. Video: 8.3 XNA Controller Thumbstick Processing
5. Video: 8.4 XNA Controller Button Processing
6. Video: 9.1 Arrays
7. Video: 9.2 Collection Classes
8. Reading: Week 5 Resources
9. Reading: Labs 11 and 12
10. Reading: Programming Assignment 4 FAQ

Graded: Programming Assignment 4

WEEK 6


Recovery week
Reflect on previous course material with no new material this week; Complete and submit Project Increment 2; Complete and submit Peer Review of Programming Assignment 4


3 readings expand

1. Reading: The Second Recovery Week
2. Reading: Project Increment 2 Solution
3. Reading: Project Increment 2 FAQ

Graded: Project Increment 2

WEEK 7


Iteration
Learn how to do things multiple times; Complete and submit Programming Assignment 5; Complete and submit Peer Review of Project Increment 2


4 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Reading: Another Big Week of Learning
2. Video: 10.1 For Loops: The Basics
3. Video: 10.2 For Loops: Dead Teddies
4. Video: 10.3 Foreach Loops
5. Video: 10.4 While Loops
6. Reading: Week 7 Resources
7. Reading: Labs 13 and 14

Graded: Programming Assignment 5

WEEK 8


Recovery week
Reflect on previous course material with no new material this week; Complete and submit Project Increment 3; Complete and submit Peer Review of Programming Assignment 5


2 readings expand

1. Reading: Another Recovery Week, But ...
2. Reading: Project Increment 3 Solution

Graded: Project Increment 3

WEEK 9


Class Design and Implementation
Learn how to design and implement classes; Complete and submit Programming Assignment 6; Complete and submit Peer Review of Project Increment 3


8 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Reading: Our Own Classes!
2. Video: 11.1 Console Class: Fields and Properties
3. Video: 11.2 Console Class: Constructors
4. Video: 11.3 Console Class: Method
5. Video: 11.4 XNA Class: Fields and Properties
6. Video: 11.5 XNA Class: Constructor and Methods Part 1
7. Video: 11.6 XNA Class: Constructor and Methods Part 2
8. Video: 11.7 XNA Class Use Part 1
9. Video: 11.8 XNA Class Use Part 2
10. Reading: Week 9 Resources

Graded: Programming Assignment 6

WEEK 10


Recovery Week
Reflect on previous course material with no new material this week; Complete and submit Project Increment 4; Complete and submit Peer Review of Programming Assignment 6


2 readings expand

1. Reading: The Final Recovery Week
2. Reading: Project Increment 4 Solution

Graded: Project Increment 4

WEEK 11


MonoGame/XNA Audio, MonoGame/XNA Text IO
Learn how to play music and sound effects in MonoGame/XNA; Learn how to process keyboard input and display text in MonoGame/XNA; Complete and submit Project Increment 5; Complete and submit Peer Review of Project Increment 4


3 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Reading: The Last of the New Material
2. Video: 12.1 XNA Audio Without XACT
3. Video: 13.1 XNA Keyboard Input
4. Video: 13.2 XNA Text Output
5. Reading: Week 11 Resources
6. Reading: Labs 15 and 16
7. Reading: Project Increment 5 Solution

Graded: Project Increment 5

WEEK 12


The Final Week
The description goes here


2 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Reading: The Final Week
2. Video: Concept Understanding Self Evaluation
3. Reading: Optional Project
4. Video: Course Wrapup

Graded: Final Exam